Saving Edward
by OhMyWord
Summary: There was no reasonable explanation for this, I tried to save her and I died, it's that simple, right?
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is my first published piece of fan fiction, please be kind. This is going to be several chapters, which I have written, but not edited quite yet. Thanks for reading and remember, nice reviews are better than chocolate.

Also, I have pictures on my profile of some of the places mentioned in the story, I'd suggest taking a look if you want to get a better idea of some of the things/places I'm trying to describe here. Enjoy :)

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Saving Edward

One

For reasons she wouldn't admit out loud, she hated staying late on Fridays to close the store. The girl with this shift always asked for someone to cover for her and Bella always obliged. _I should just fire her…yeah, it's my damn store._ She paused, waiting for the computer to finish shutting down. _No, she's going through a rough time right now, cut her some slack._ Bella sighed and turned off the computer, grabbing her coat.

She looked around her store, checking to see that everything was put away. The books were all in place, lining the many mahogany shelves, a poster announcing an authors signing sat near the big front window; everything was as it should be. Bella smiled to herself and pulled the cream shades down over the windows, and then she walked outside and locked the door.

Looking up and down the street, she didn't see his car. Looking in her purse she found her phone, noticing that it was on silent. Bella looked at the screen and noticed the new voicemail. "Damn." She listened to the message.

"Hi love; I'm stuck at the museum. Brian wants to rearrange my photos for the exhibit, something about the lighting. I'm so sorry, I'll try and duck out to come get you; would you just call me and wait at the store? I hate it when you walk home alone. Don't roll your eyes at me; I love you Bella. See you soon." She laughed quietly at the message and hit the 'send' button to call him back, still standing outside the store on the sidewalk. She listened to his voicemail pick up and left him a quick message telling him not to worry about it; she'd walk fast.

Bella looked out at the buildings around her. Her store was situated in a historical part of downtown. The buildings had what she thought of as personality, warm brick and beautiful stone work. Little independently owned shops dotted the street; small trees with little white lights lined the sidewalks. A few couples sat at small outdoor tables at the Italian restaurant two doors to the left and more people walked toward the various nightclubs on this street and the next. _It's only 8 o'clock; I'll be fine. _

She slipped on her khaki trench and left it unbuttoned; it was a nice, crisp evening out tonight. Pulling her purse higher on her shoulder, Bella walked right, the direction of the park. Rose Memorial was a medium sized park that split the east end of downtown with the more residential historical area. Bella's street bordered the opposite side of the park; lovely, brick townhomes lined the street, but Bella bought hers because of the view. It was early fall and the trees of Rose Memorial were beginning to change, turning red, yellow, and bright orange. _Does anything else that's dying look this beautiful?_

Stopping on the stretch of sidewalk that bordered the park, Bella considered her options. She could save herself time and energy and simply cut right through the middle as she usually did on those rare mornings Edward didn't drive her to the shop. She could walk around the perimeter, but it was almost all the way dark and she didn't feel totally comfortable walking at night. She was clumsy enough when she could actually see her feet. Or she could do what Edward wanted her to do from the start and go back to the store. Bella pulled out her phone one last time to call him; it rang a few times before going to voicemail again. With that, she sighed and put the phone back in her purse.

Lights rimmed the outside of the park and the walking paths, making it easier for Bella to keep her footing. She kept up a brisk pace and looked around as she walked, trying to seem assertive. She felt a slight tingling sensation on the back of her neck, but ignored it. The edge of the park and her street beyond that was almost in view. But almost wasn't quite close enough.

Without warning, something, someone, grabbed a hold of her hair and yanked her off her feet. Stunned, Bella tried to get her legs under her to right herself, but it was to no avail. Instead, she kicked a leg backwards aiming for her attacker. She missed. Squirming, she let out the beginnings of a scream that were cut off by his hand, moving over her mouth. He smelled like grime and cigarette smoke. Her body began to shake uncontrollably. _Don't lose it, fight, dammit, do something! Oh my God, this is not happening._ Suddenly, she could see a face in front of her. It startled her, _there are two of them. Two. Of. Them._ Bella couldn't quite make out his face; she realized they had dragged her off the path, out of the light. The first man pulled her hair tighter; she could feel strands ripping out. The second man grinned at her; Bella tried to discern his features, but her mind refused to focus. Summoning courage, Bella bit the hand covering her mouth. "Shit!" He loosened his grip on her momentarily, just long enough for her to let out a piercing scream before her world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate.

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Two

Edward drove past the Italian restaurant on his right and sighed. The tables were filled with couples that had free time on Fridays, date nights. He couldn't wait for his photography exhibit to be up and rolling. _I miss Bella._ It was a dream come true when the curator of the museum called to say they were interested in his photography. Taking pictures was his secret passion, but he never truly imagined he could make a living doing it.

When he got off the phone that day, he turned to see Bella standing beyond him in the entryway to the kitchen, arms crossed. "I told you so," she grinned playfully. Edward flew the few steps to her and picked her up, kissing her soundly. There were no words for how happy he was at that moment.

Over the next few weeks as preparations were made, he realized just what he'd gotten himself into. It was exhilarating, he had to admit, but he was ready for that part to be over. He wanted his pictures to be made public. _Two weeks from tonight!_ The museum was planning a big party to honor him and two other photographers they had chosen. Edward had assured Bella there would be no dancing and her reservations about going were put aside. She even bought a new dress. A dark blue one, just tight enough to let his imagination wander…

He pulled up in front of Bella's store, Current, and got out of the car. It was clear no one was there, but he went to the front entrance anyway. Edward cupped his hand to the glass and looked inside. He sighed heavily, _she never listens._ Taking a long look down either side of the street, he got back into his car. _At least it's a nice night for walking._ Edward rolled down both front windows, enjoying the crisp fall breeze that ruffled his messy hair. He drove slowly around the north perimeter of the park and didn't see her. He passed their townhome and looped around the south end. _Is she home already? I thought it took longer…_Edward went around the north end once more and then made his way south, stopping outside their home. "Oh," he pulled out his phone and got out of the car, realizing that she'd probably tried to call him during his meeting.

"Hi, I got your message. I can't wait for the exhibit to open so things can get back to normal. I'm just going to walk; it's such a nice night out. Don't be mad, I love you." He pressed 'end' and walked up the front steps to the front door. Unlocking it and stepping inside, he put his phone down and noticed the lights were all off.

"Bella?" The alarm was noticeable in his voice. _If she cut through the park, she'd be here by now. Unless…_Edward didn't allow himself to finish the thought. He was out the door in an instant.

He raced into the park, cursing to himself. _I should have just left, the meeting wasn't that damn important. Dammit, dammit! _Edward grew frustrated when he didn't see her form on the walking path that made an almost direct line to their house. "Bella?!" He sprinted a few more paces and stopped, looking around, trying to focus. It was completely dark off the pathways, almost impossible to make anything out. He ventured left, toward the south end of the park, his breath quickening. "Bella," he called out, hoping she'd jump out from behind a tree. _Gotcha!_ He knew she'd never do that to him though. Edward felt his heart pumping in his chest, his hands beginning to shake. He kept walking, slower now, looking from left to right. There were no paths here until the very end of the park, it was totally dark.

He was trying to convince himself that she was probably safe somewhere, _maybe a friend surprised her on her way, took her to dinner_. But he knew she'd call if that were the case. Then he heard a rustling farther ahead of him. He stopped and listened for it again. When he heard it the second time, he walked toward it, trying to stay calm.

Edward did not want to believe what he saw.

Her purse lay a few yards away from her prone body, cell phone inches from her hands. Bella's coat was torn and she had only one arm in a sleeve. She lay still, unconscious, and for a moment, Edward was grateful. Her hands were bound with what looked like a plastic zip tie; they were laying above her head, still. Bella's eyes were closed, a thin line a blood dripped from her mouth. Her shirt was on, but pushed up over her chest, her skin practically glowing in the moonlight. Her skirt was bunched up around her thighs. For a split second, Edward only saw Bella. He saw her eyes flutter open.

Then he saw the men.

One paced anxiously back and forth on the opposite side of Bella from Edward, the other kneeled down in front of her, undoing the fly of his jeans.

Fury ripped through Edward's chest like a knife and he let out a low growl, deep in his throat. He didn't look for weapons, didn't pull out his phone to call the police, didn't call out for help; he attacked.

Edward went first for the one kneeling over Bella, barreling into his body. He pushed him hard to the ground and heard the man's breath let out of his chest in a hard whoosh. Edward punched him in the face, trying to knock him unconscious. No, trying to kill him. He grabbed the man on either side of his head, lifted and then slammed his head into the hard ground. Again. Again. Before he could do it a fourth time, the second man grabbed him around the neck and pulled him back. Edward struggled in the second man's strong, solid grip. Out of the corner of his eye, Edward saw that the first man lay still on the ground. With a deep inhale, Edward shoved his head back hard, hitting the first man's nose with a loud crunch. His grip loosened, Edward spun around to face him.

Bella didn't become aware of what was going on until she saw Edward, straddling one of her attackers on the ground. His back was to her and he was pounding the man's head into the ground. Regaining her senses, she looked around for her phone. She grasped it between her two, locked hands and dialed 911. She scrambled back from the scene and told the person on the other end what was happening. Bella was in hysterics, one of the men looked passed out, but the other seemed to be getting the upper hand on Edward. He punched Edward in the stomach, then in the face; Edward doubled over from the pain. He fell to the ground and met her eyes. "Bella! _Run_!" The attacker ignored Bella and kept his attention on Edward. She couldn't move; she couldn't leave him there.

She stood up on shaking legs, still holding her phone. The dispatcher was faintly telling her to stay on the line. Bella charged forward toward the man. She didn't make it. Grabbing her around the waist, the man she thought was passed out pulled her back, throwing her down like a rag doll. He straddled her stomach and punched her squarely in the face. That was all it took to knock her out.

She didn't know how long she was passed out. The next thing she saw were flashlights, men in uniform surrounding her. She swallowed hard and opened her eyes all the way. Memories flashed across her mind and she sprang up, trying to stand. An officer held her arm, steadying her when she began to fall. "Edward!" Bella spun around, not caring about maintaining her balance. "Edward!" She couldn't see him anywhere. She looked at the officer still holding on to her, "where is he? In an ambulance?!" She walked in the direction the ambulance she saw parked on the curb at the park's edge. The officer tugged at her arm, Bella yanked it out of his grasp. "Is he hurt?! Tell me something!"

"Miss, I need you to calm down a little, why don't I take you to the ambulance and you can sit down. You're in shock." A second officer came up, mumbled something to the first. "I think she's in shock, we need to get her checked out."

"I'm not in shock! Where's Edward?!" Her voice rose, becoming frantic. The officer half dragged her to the ambulance, which had its back doors open, empty inside. She leaned against its edge and looked expectantly at the officer.

"I need you to stay here for a minute, ok? I need to talk to a couple of the officers and then we can talk. Let the EMT's take a look at you; I'll be back in a minute," he backed slowly away, facing Bella as if waiting for her to jump up. When she didn't, he turned and walked toward a group of officers.

Bella's teeth chattered, she clenched and released her hands compulsively on her lap while the EMT's looked at her split lip, her bruised cheekbone, stained a dark purple already. They asked her questions, _where does it hurt? Can you take a deep breath? Look at the light._ _Were you ever unconscious, do you think you were raped?_ She nodded and shook her head appropriately. They told her she had a bruised rib, but that was the worst of it. She didn't take her eyes off the police officer that promised to talk to her, straining to hear, willing the EMT's to stop talking. When they moved away, Bella stood up, walking cautiously to the police.

"We've swept the park twice, he's not here. It's just the girl. We're moving to the outlying areas now." The first officer sighed heavily, turning, already knowing she'd be there.

"He's not here," her voice shook.

"We're going to need you to come with us, we have some questions. I'm sorry, I've got all my officers here, we'll find him –"

"He's _not here_!" She felt her eyes well up and she looked around, thinking she'd see him walk out of the darkness. He never did.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate.

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Three

"I told you! I don't remember! I woke up and saw him over one of the men, I called the police, Edward told me to run and then everything is blank after that," she cried in frustration, her head in her hands, trying to make herself to remember anything. "We've been over and _over_ this!" Bella had spent several hours at the police station, being photographed and interviewed.

Finally, they had an officer drive her home. At first she was going to refuse to go inside, that was their home; it wasn't right that he wouldn't be inside waiting for her. He walked Bella inside and made sure she would be alright, well, as alright as she could be. After he left, Bella moved aimlessly from room to room. It was 3 a.m. and she couldn't go to sleep. She noticed his cell phone on the kitchen counter; she made a note to tell the police that he'd at least been home. Bella stared at his phone for a long while.

At 5 a.m. she crept into the bedroom, trying and failing to keep her breath steady. The police had made her change at the station, keeping her clothes as evidence. She lay down on her side of the bed on top of the covers, staring at the ceiling. After a few minutes she looked at Edward's pillow with tears already spilling down her cheeks. Bella pulled it over to her and buried her face in it. It smelled like him, lilac and something else that she couldn't put her finger on. She muffled her sobs with it, her tears melting into the fabric. She waited for the blackness to take her.

It was like an alarm went off. One moment, nothing, the next his eyes snapped open. He was aware instantly. He sat up abruptly, looking around. He seemed to be in a forest, but that could be anywhere. There were thousands of acres of forest surrounding the town. He looked behind him, around, up, but didn't see anything but thick trees blotting out the sunlight. _Sunlight._ There was no way for him to know how long he'd been out there. Looking down, Edward examined himself, nothing was out of place. He looked at his clothes, a white t-shirt under a grey V-neck sweater, dark jeans. They were still clean. He pushed up the sleeves of his sweater, no cuts, bruises, nothing. He touched his face softly, but he wasn't sore and his hands didn't come away with any blood. Standing up, he looked left and then right. _Which way?_ He leaned to the right, but he wasn't sure why.

_Bella._ He had to get back to her. His memories were dim after she called the police; he remembered telling her to run, her getting ready to charge to help him anyway, the man hitting her and then running toward Edward and then nothing else. _Bella._ His thoughts pushed him into action.

The next thing he knew, he was on his street. He had lost track of time on his way; it seemed as if only a few moments had passed since he was in the woods. Edward saw his car parked where he'd left it, _the night before? How long has it been?_ He looked up toward the sun; it was high in the sky, around noon he concluded. He walked quickly in the direction of his home, his thoughts out of his control. _Is she ok? Did they come after her again? Would they?_ Not paying attention, he picked up his pace and ran down the street. A family was approaching in the opposite direction, but he barely saw them. That is, until they became too close for him to dodge. They didn't seem to notice him at all, passing – _through him_.

Edward skidded to a stop on the sidewalk. He looked back at the family, who kept walking as if nothing had happened. He looked around, but no one else was there. _I felt them. _It felt strange, reminding him of static electricity. _I felt them pass through me. No, that can't-_. Edward turned a full circle on the walk, not knowing what he was looking for. He ran his hands through his hair. He looked at his fingernails – clean. His clothes – clean. He felt his torso for pain – nothing. _But, I have a heartbeat…I think._ _I have to. _He felt something like a distant fluttering, not a heartbeat? What else would it be? Edward felt the panic rise in his chest.

Something occurred to him then and he lifted his feet to look at the soles of his shoes – clean. Walking through the forest for God knows how long would have left something on his shoes -_ how did I get here anyway?_ He had no memory of finding his way back to his own street. He looked longingly toward his home, no idea what was happening.

Another person approached, walking alone. Edward ran toward her. "Excuse me, miss?" she walked past him without notice. When Edward reached out to touch her arm, his fingertips passed through. He recoiled quickly, horrified. _What's happening to me? Am I? _He forced himself to think the words... _Am I dead?_


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're eating the chocolate off somebody.

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Four

Edward stood in front of his door for a while, debating with himself. _I don't feel…._but he couldn't bring himself to even think it again. He prepared himself to go in and then realized he wasn't sure how. _Can I walk straight through? Oh, this is ridiculous. Put your hand on the doorknob._ He did and it felt solid in his hand, a relief. He went to open the door, but the knob would not turn, locked. Edward huffed a laugh at his predicament, pacing at his doorstep. _I can walk through people…and I'm locked out of my own house._ It was almost too bizarre to think about. He remembered how he was able to get from the forest to his own street without actually making the journey. _Ok, I can do this, it just takes…I don't know, focus? _He closed his eyes, feeling slightly absurd. _ I'm inside; I see the kitchen on the right, front room on the left and the stairs in between. _He opened his eyes; he was still staring at the front door. Edward thought for a moment and realized what he was doing wrong, he closed his eyes again. _Bella._

He was inside, standing near the front window seats in the dining area that shared space with the galley kitchen. Bella paced in the kitchen, a phone pressed to her ear. He saw the tears streaming down her face, her eyes were swollen from crying, one of them lightly bruised. When she turned to go back the way she came, he saw the bruise on her cheekbone from where the man hit her. It blossomed a dark purple on her pale skin; Edward clenched his hands into fists. _I should have kept her from this. _She wore a large white t-shirt, one of Edward's he noticed, and sweatpants. Her hair hung down, stringy as if it hadn't been washed in a few days.

"Bella," he took a step toward her, but she made no move to face him.

"It's been _three days!_ How can there be nothing, he didn't just disappear! I am calm! Don't you _patronize_ me –" she paused, listening. "Fine," with that she hung up her cell phone and leaned over the counter. Her body shook visibly and Edward went to her, although he was afraid to try and touch her.

"I'm here, Bella," he stopped when a sob racked through her body. She grit her teeth together and made a noise in her throat that could only be described as pure pain.

"You're not dead, you're not dead," she said between sobs. "You _promised_ you'd _never leave me_!" She covered her face in one hand, gripping her middle with the other.

Edward stood there in shock, watching, unable to do anything. He shifted his weight toward her, trying to will her to feel better. He couldn't bear to touch her, to see his hands pass through her body. He moved as close as he dared. "I'm here Bella, I haven't left you."

"I should have _waited_," she slammed her fist onto the counter and then held it close to herself, hurting.

He moved his hand forward instinctively to touch her hurt hand, but stopped, instead hovering over her hair. "Please don't do this to yourself, it's not your fault, love," he said helplessly.

Bella inhaled deeply and held onto her side, standing up. Edward followed her out of the kitchen and up the stairs; she walked left into the master bathroom off of their bedroom. In the bathroom, she seemed to avoid her reflection. She turned on the shower and slipped the shirt over her head. A bruise covered a large space over her ribs and Edward clenched his fists, his face contorting with pain. She took off the rest of her clothes slowly, carefully. She stepped out of the small pile and got into the shower. Edward looked at her blurry form through the sheer curtain. She stayed quiet throughout her shower, sometimes sniffling, but mostly letting the hot water work on the knots in her body. Edward stayed to watch over her.

That night as Bella got into bed, Edward waited, unsure what to do. He let her get comfortable before testing the mattress with his hand; when he felt the blankets he moved closer. Climbing onto the bed, he never took his eyes off of Bella, a part of him hoping she would react. When she didn't, he sighed and moved closer, his face right next to hers. He said nothing as she lay there, afraid of what, he didn't know.

Some time later, after Bella was asleep, Edward spoke. "I haven't left you Bella, I'm right here. I won't leave you alone," as he said it, he knew he couldn't promise anything.

_Am I hurting her more by being here?_

Yet he knew he could not leave her.

He held a hand over her body, starting at her hair, moving down her shoulder, to her waist. He didn't dare touch her, if that's what it could even be called. Edward moved a little closer, their noses almost touching, he felt her breath on his face, could hear her heart beating. He brought his hand back to her face, hovering over her cheek, desperate to touch her. He looked at her tenderly, "I love you, Bella."

Had he fallen asleep? He couldn't be sure, but he didn't think so. Suddenly, he was back in the woods, staring dimly upward. He lay on his back, unable to move. He struggled to breathe; he could feel air come in short, hitching gasps. Edward willed himself to open his eyes wider, but he could not. He strained to listen to the things around him; he could make out a faint rustling. It sounded like wind moving through the trees. He couldn't feel much, but he knew he was on the edge of feeling, that pain was close. He kept listening, trying to shape what was happening to him. He heard…water? It was too quiet to be able to tell. Then he felt it. His heartbeat. It was faint, but it was unquestioningly there.

Edward sat up swiftly on the bed, his hand to his chest. At first, he thought he was still in the woods, but then he heard the quiet breathing next to him. "I'm _alive."_


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking the chocolate off someone.

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Five

Edward spent the rest of the night trying to communicate with Bella. He could hold a pen, but couldn't seem to write down any words on paper. Frustrated, he dropped the pen back onto the nightstand where it clattered loudly, bouncing off the clock and onto the floor. Bella mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, facing the nightstand. Edward froze, looking at her. "Bella?" He asked, knowing she was still sleeping.

"Edward." She whispered quietly, eyes closed.

He kneeled down on the floor beside her, "I love you," he said before anything. He talked to her while she slept, explaining every detail of what he'd experienced in the woods moments before. She never woke up and didn't so much as adjust her body for the rest of the night.

Bella woke up the next morning early; she showered and dressed with a sense of urgency. She ran a brush through her hair and slipped into a pair of black flats, grabbed a coat and swept out the door.

Edward followed all her movements that morning, only able to hope that his experiment was the reason behind her quickness. She took the trip to her shop on foot, going north around the park, looking straight ahead. He watched her unlock the door, walk inside and open up the store. Moments later, one of her employees, Angela, walked inside in a hurry.

"Bella! You're here," she said, surprised. "Sorry I'm late, I've been coming by in the morning – to see if you were, you know, if you were…going to open the store." She smiled shyly, then bit her lip.

"You've heard," Bella said quietly.

"I'm sorry, I've been picking up the newspapers here, it's been in there since it happened –"

"Can I see them?" Bella asked. She watched Angela reluctantly open up her bag and pull out the papers. She opened one up and saw that it was on the front page, above the fold.

**Couple Attacked at Rose Memorial  
**_ One Missing, Feared Dead_

Bella tossed the paper aside. "Can you handle things here until Eric gets in? I've got an errand to run." She moved toward the door without waiting for an answer.

"Bella, um, I just wanted to say…I'm sorry about –"

Bella waved her hand at Angela, dismissively. "Don't, there's nothing to be sorry about." When Angela looked at her with raised eyebrows, Bella smiled. "Edward's still alive." She was out the door before she could see Angela's worried expression.

Edward walked beside her as she hurried in the direction of the police station, excited. "I knew you would understand! I knew you wouldn't give up on me. Now we just need to make _them_ understand. You can do this Bella, I have faith in you. _Make_ them listen, beg if you have to. Don't let them turn you away." The words left Edward in a rush. He knew she couldn't hear, but he was also beginning to recognize that she reacted to him, even if she didn't know it.

She entered the station determined, walked to the front desk and asked for Detective St. Clair. She was asked to wait and she did, worrying her lower lip between her teeth as she sat in the cheap, institutional grey chair. She saw a cop come in holding a man's arm; he chained him to a bench across from her and left him there, walking deeper into the station. Edward stood protectively in front of her, arms crossed. After a while, the detective walked up to the front to meet her, she stood up quickly and strode forward; the wait hadn't broken her momentum. "Yes, Miss Swan, you wanted to speak with me?" His voice was filled with compassion and a touch of exhaustion and annoyance.

"Yes," she said eagerly. "Can we go sit somewhere…else?" He led her to his desk across the large open space. He motioned to a chair next to his desk and she didn't take it. "Edward's still alive –"

"Well, as you know Miss Swan, we haven't ruled out that possibility. My officers are working around the clock, we're hoping to bring him back ali-"

"I know you don't believe that, but I'm telling you, he's alive. I know he is." She fisted and released her hands, belying her composure. "I know he is," she said again.

The detective sighed quietly, "how do you know that, Miss Swan?"

"I…I just have this feeling…I had," she huffed a sigh, "I had a dream. He's in the woods, I think maybe across the river or close to it at least. Have officers checked there?"

"Yes, but you know, we have a very limited number of officers here. And they're all doing 18 hour days for this, at least. We're doing all we can, but –"

"Tell them to focus on the woods across the river; I think that's where he is –"

"We're searching all the outlying areas, ok? We've looked there, but you can't possibly expect us to be able to turn over every stone, to move every branch. Do you know how much forest is out there?"

"Tell your officers to search across the river, he can hear the water. He can hear it, so he can't be too far –"

Detective St. Clair took Bella's arm to pull her toward the exit. "Alright Miss Swan, we'll take that into consideration."

"_Listen_ to her!_" _Edward yelled, a growl forming in his throat.

"Don't try and placate me! I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. You have to believe me, trust me."

"Ok Miss Swan, look, go get some rest," he looked into her eyes, the dark half moons under his were much worse than her own. "I'll call you when I know –"

"Stop! You're not listening to me! Search the area across the river from the park. They wouldn't have time to drop him farther away, they probably just wanted to get away, right?! Search there, you'll find him there!"

"You listen to me, we're doing everything we can. But we're not only trying to find Edward Cullen, we have to find the guys that did this. My officers are already strained past breaking and we don't need you in here telling us what to do based on some _dream_ you had. Go home, get some rest, ok? I'll keep you updated-"

"Fine, I'll go out there myself –"

"No!" The detective and Edward yelled in unison. "You will do no such thing Miss Swan. You realize you could die out there?"

"He's right, Bella, listen to him," Edward said, worry creasing his forehead.

"That's why I have to hurry, he's out there and he's hurt and alone." She shrugged off his hand that was still holding her arm and turned to leave.

"Miss Swan, I can't let you go out there by yourself," he sighed in resignation.

"Well, if you're not coming with me, I'm going by myself," she crossed her arms, determination settling in the features of her face.

He shook his head; he really didn't want to say this. "You can't go out there. What if he _is_ out there, what if you find Edward, Bella? And he's dead? What then?"

"At least he won't be out there anymore, he won't be alone." She turned and walked out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews; I'm touched :)

Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking the chocolate off someone.

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Six

_Fine, he won't come with me. I'll go alone._ Bella stood in her kitchen, putting food into a large backpacking pack. It was already full of water bottles, a first aid kit, and other things she thought she might need for this. She had a feeling it would take more than a first aid kit to help Edward, but she didn't know what else she could bring. She had a small tent and a sleeping bag as well. It was only about nine a.m, she decided that she would leave as soon as she was packed. Bella finished in the kitchen and ran upstairs to change. She put on a pair of cargo khaki pants and a long sleeve white shirt. She grabbed a thick, insulated jacket, put on her shoes, and ran back downstairs. She stood in front of Edwards car for a long while, debating.

"Please don't do this Bella, it's not worth it," Edward pleaded with her, as he had been doing since she left the police station. She put her things in the backseat and got in the car. She paid no attention to traffic signals as she raced toward the bridge that crossed the river.

She drove for a short while, trying to let instinct tell her where to go. "Edward," she said softly.

"Yes, love?" He said, although knowing she wouldn't hear.

"Edward," she said again quietly. "Where are you?" She drove off the main road, going down a narrower dirt path. She didn't speak for a long while. Then without warning, she pulled off to the side and stopped. "Here." She got out, leaving everything in the car. She stepped away from the car, standing still, silent. "Yes…I can still hear the water," she mumbled to herself. Bella grabbed the things from the back of the car, strapped them to her back, getting used to the weight.

"Please Bella, be careful." Edward followed her out of the sunlight. She walked forward on the trail, though she knew he wouldn't be along it. Every once in a while, she'd stop as if she were listening to something that Edward couldn't hear. "What is it, love?" He couldn't feel what she was feeling, hear what she heard. He was beginning to feel strange, tired. He walked behind her slowly, fighting the urge to lay down.

At one point she turned right, off the trail and deeper into the woods. She checked her watch, 2:30 p.m., _there's still time._

"Remember the first time I took you camping, Bella?" Edward chuckled at the memory. He had convinced her to go by promising to make love to her under the stars. He tried to make the hike as easy for her as possible, but he was only human. She tripped on nearly everything her feet touched, at one point managing to take him down with her. By the time they'd gotten to the campsite her shins were bruised almost solidly, she had scratches up and down her arms, and every matter of plant life stuck in her hair. Edward had picked a spot out in an open meadow, so she could see the stars. It hadn't helped her libido any that she was hurt and freezing, but Edward tended to her cuts and tried to make her laugh.

Later that night, Edward lay on his back half uncovered, with his hands behind his head. "You know…if you're cold, it helps if you're in a sleeping bag naked with someone else that's naked too," Edward glanced toward Bella, well actually, to the tiny lump under the blanket that was shaped like Bella. She poked the top of her head out of her sleeping bag, which was zipped up as far as it would go.

"Oh?" She replied. Edward could only see her eyes, so he couldn't quite tell if she was smiling.

"Yeah, body heat can be very powerful," he smiled mischievously and began to crawl out of his sleeping bag. He unzipped hers and climbed inside, zipping it closed. Facing each other, Edward wrapped his arms around her, he kissed her cold lips lightly and she shivered at his touch. Their kiss deepened and Bella wrapped a leg around Edward's hip. They began tugging at each other clothes, but then soon found the zipped up sleeping bag was not the best place for this. Bella pushed close up against him to unzip it, her hands working behind his head to pull down the zipper so they'd have more room. His hands were working on pushing down her pants. His tongue swept up the side of her neck and she giggled.

"You're making it hard to concentrate," she said while continuing to struggle with the zipper. With a huff, she let it go. "It's stuck…dammit."

Edward laughed lightly, his voice sounding husky in her ear, "I don't care, I'm going to have sex with you regardless of space limitations." He went to kiss her again, but she stopped him.

"We need more room; this has to be right, I can't even see the stars this way," she reached for the zipper again and began to work it downward. She couldn't see what she was doing and Edward had worked his hands under her shirt, oblivious to her struggles, but she'd had several fantasies about this since he'd convinced her to go and dammit, this was going to be right.

Suddenly, Edward froze and snapped his teeth together, "Ow!"

Bella pulled as far back as she could, looking into his eyes, "what is it?"

He grimaced at her, "you got my hair caught in the zipper."

She held his gaze seriously for a moment and then she couldn't hold back the laughter anymore. She tried to hide her face in his chest, knowing that he wouldn't be able to look down at her, what with his hair trapped and all. Her body bounced as she tried to keep her laughter as quiet as possible. She felt his hands searching for her face, pulling her up. Looking into his eyes, she struggled for composure. "I know this is very amusing…to…you," he tried to keep a straight face, "but could we please get my hair…" he couldn't do it. He shook with laughter, tears rolling down his face. He held on to her tightly as they laughed together at the ridiculousness of the situation. After a few moments he calmed down. "Ok now seriously, can we please get me loose?" He wiped a tear from her eye.

"Ok, but having you stuck could be fun too," she raised her eyebrows at him in question.

"Not for my hair, it wouldn't be, now help me get out of this death trap." He worked at getting the zipper loose, while Bella worked on releasing his hair. "Maybe we should just cut my hair."

"No!" She startled herself with her own reply. Bella had a thing for his messy hair; it always looked like he'd just had sex. Usually, he had. Edward chuckled, knowing all about her fetish. After another moment, they were free. "Ha! Got it!" Bella lowered the zipper as low as she could manage while staying inside the sleeping bag.

"I'm free!" Edward raised his arms triumphantly and then pulled them back into the warmth. He grabbed her around the middle and pulled her close. "You were bouncing a lot when you were laughing, you know."

She nodded, "mmhmm."

"Your chest was in my face while you were working on the zipper too."

She nodded again solemnly, "mmhmm."

Abruptly, he flipped them so he was on top of her. "Can you see the stars now?" He asked against her lips. He waited for her nod and then continued. "Good."

Coming out of his reverie, Edward looked at Bella. He noticed a smile playing at the edge of her mouth as she walked. He watched her, curious. "Stupid zipper," she smiled to herself. Edward grinned widely.

They kept walking for a few more minutes and then stopped. Bella's eyebrows were furrowed as she strained to see something in the distance. Edward took the opportunity to rest; he leaned gingerly on a tree, his hands wiping his face where no sweat gathered. He leaned down to rest his hands on his knees. _What's happening to me?_ He stood up and looked at Bella, every muscle in her body tensed. He looked in the direction she was looking, but his vision was becoming blurry; he couldn't see more than a couple of yards in front of him. Edward blinked hard and strained to see, but his vision became even worse. He saw Bella's blurry shape start running and he struggled to keep up.

"Edward!" Her voice sounded frantic, but clear. Edward ran toward it, unable to see anything but faint shapes now. He kept going forward, listening to Bella say his name, sounding terrified.

Bella stopped near a large tree, everything around her overgrown, obscuring the forest floor. She kneeled down and took off her backpack, moving debris out of the way. Edward couldn't see what she looked at.

"Edward," she cried, clearing dry leaves from something on the ground.

He kneeled down to see, but couldn't. And then there was nothing at all.

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Author's Note: I'm thinking about expanding the flashback of their camping trip into a new story, a one-shot, what do you think?


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking the chocolate off someone.

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Seven

Tears fell from Bella's eyes onto Edward's face as she did compressions on his chest on the forest floor. She wasn't entirely sure how to do it; she only had a dim memory of her mother trying to teach her the proper way in one of the many tangents of her mother's life. She counted out loud and then blew into his mouth. Bella did this over and over, afraid to stop, believing she could keep him alive if she could just keep moving. She could hear someone's loud, hitched breathing echo off the trees and then recognized that it was her own. In that instant, she wanted to call out to God, to whoever it was, to save him or take them both because she couldn't live in a world where Edward didn't exist. Her fingers cramped and her back ached and she had a suspicion that no one was listening.

Finally she stopped to check his breathing and heartbeat. With shaking hands she pressed her fingers on his neck, but she couldn't tell if the movement was from him or her. She wasn't at all sure if that's the way it had always been, that her heart beat only as a companion to his. She made a sound of frustration and concentrated harder; the beat of his heart was faint, but present. His breathing was not. "Dammit, dammit! _Breathe_ Edward, please!" Her cry caught in her throat as she continued to breathe for them both. She didn't realize anyone else was there until two hands began pulling her away, up onto her feet. "_No_! Leave me alone! He's still alive, _Edward_!!" She screamed at him, clawing out of the man's grasp, getting down on her hands and knees, crawling up beside Edward's face, cutting her palms on loose branches. "Edward! _Edward!" _She turned to face the other person who was reaching for her again, it was a paramedic. "Save him then! _Do something_!"

A second paramedic showed up then, carrying medical equipment. They spoke too quickly for Bella to understand; she backed up then, knowing better than to get in their way. She was unaware of the other people that were there. Her eyes were locked on Edward's still form, willing him to breathe. Hoping that if he died, she could somehow be taken with him.

"His heart stopped," one of the paramedics said, his voice rising in alarm. Bella would swear later she heard Edward release one low, quiet exhale into the air.

Bella stopped breathing. "Edward," her voice was barely a whisper. More hands were on her, pulling her farther back, away from him. In the distance, she thought she heard someone say, "she shouldn't have to see him like this." He'd looked dead. His blood dried in angry stains on all his exposed skin, his face looked too round, she couldn't see the sharp curves of his cheekbones. The blood on his clothes looked black.

She fought them every step of the way, screaming at them to let her go. But her will to really fight had left when Edward's heart stopped beating; she closed her eyes and waited for the world to take her too.

"Miss Swan, please come this way," detective St. Clair turned her to face him. "Look at me Bella." He held her upper arms in his large hands. He looked like he pitied her, like he'd seen her future and this was her unhappy ending. She stared at him, realizing that his hands were the only thing keeping her from crumpling to the ground. With her eyes on him, the detective lost his ability to speak. Yet he could see the hope in her face, he could see something in her that she didn't know was there.

The paramedics were slowing down, their movements resigned. One sat back on his knees, his brows furrowed. "Ok," he paused, his eyes cast downward, "he was just too far gone," he sighed, defeat shown across his face. The other paramedic pressed a last time into Edward's chest and touched his fingers to Edward's wrist lightly, more out of his need to finish his job than anything else. They backed up, preparing Edward for removal. A body bag appeared; a third paramedic stretched it out on the ground. They moved in around him, reminding Bella of vultures circling a dead gazelle.

The detective was never good at this, giving comfort; he let Bella go. She didn't know what to do; she looked at St. Clair blank faced, turned to Edward again. She couldn't process why they were stopping, they were supposed to save him. She was supposed to save him. She stood rooted to the ground, knowing she should be doing something, screaming into the heavens over what kind of sadistic force would let her taste perfection and then rip it out of her grasp.

"I want to see him alone," she said it so quietly she wasn't sure if anyone could hear her. The paramedics turned at the same time to look at her; they backed up to give her space. She kneeled beside Edward's face and smoothed back his matted hair; his skin still felt warm. There wasn't anything she could say that would matter, so she sat there with him, running her hands over his face, onto his neck -

"He's got a pulse!" Bella jumped up, her own heart pounding.

"Edward!" Dark spots began to cloud her vision; she felt like she was underwater. The voices sounded far away and she recalled hoping that someone would catch her before she hit the ground.

She woke up in the ambulance, afraid to move, afraid of what she might see. Tentatively, she looked to her right and saw Edward, laying on a gurney, eyes closed._ He's alive._ She reached her hand out, took his, and let exhaustion take her away.

There was a lot of noise, someone was screaming, that was what woke her up. She sat upright in the hospital bed, looking around. There was a thin curtain partition and the screaming was coming from beyond that. She struggled to find focus.

"No _needles_ mom, please, I _hate_ them!" Bella heard a mother's soothing voice, with only a slight hint of irritation. She looked down at herself and noticed thankfully that she was in her own clothes. She swung her legs carefully over the side of the bed, touching her feet slowly to the ground. She tested pressing her full weight on her feet and when she didn't immediately stumble, took off in search of someone who could help her. She found a nurse's station not far from her "room", but nobody was there. She turned in a circle, willing someone to appear. She was still exhausted and felt like she might fall down at any minute. _Have I eaten today? Yesterday?_ She couldn't remember. Leaning against the counter at the nurse's station, she closed her eyes.

"Can I help you with something?" A tired female voice asked her. She lay a gentle hand on Bella's shoulder.

"I'm looking for Edward Cullen, he was just brought in today," Bella looked up at the woman; she had kind eyes. The nurse walked behind the counter and began looking through files; she tapped something out on the keyboard. "Room 411; take this elevator to the fourth floor and go right, you'll see the room. Dear, are you alr –" Bella was gone before the nurse could say anything more.

The elevator seemed to take hours. It stopped at the second floor, took on a family who were obviously grieving. The woman, looking to be in her fifties, was crying softly into a handkerchief, a younger woman, her daughter maybe, wrapped an arm over her shoulders and stayed quiet. "I don't know how to _be_ without him. I don't know what to do. This wasn't supposed to happen." Her body shook with the force of her crying and Bella had the urge to go to her, to tell her something perfect, to make her alright. But she was too afraid of doing more harm than good. The doors opened to the fourth floor and Bella used the last of her reserves, running toward room 411.

It was four doors down; she stood outside, suddenly cautious. She remembered how he looked in the woods. She could barely see his skin, he'd been covered in layers blood and dirt. One of his eyes had been swollen shut, his left foot lying at an odd angle. She opened the door slowly, afraid that he might be sleeping. Bella peeked inside and saw him.

Most of the blood and grime had been cleaned off his face and arms, but it was difficult to tell with all the bruising. He had a small cut over his swollen right eye and a bruise that matched Bella's on his cheekbone. His bottom lip was cut and swollen. Her gaze moved down to his hospital gown, his arms looked alright, although his left wrist was wrapped in white gauze. His left foot was in a white cast that went up to mid-calf. She took a step forward and a doctor entered. He held Edward's chart, making a note on it. "Are you family?" He asked her curiously.

"I'm his wife," Bella said without pausing. "How is he?" He motioned for her to follow him outside and she did obediently.

"Most of the damage was internal, but not necessarily life threatening. My best guess is that the men that attacked you both dropped him in the woods, thinking he was already dead. In his condition, it could have fooled them. He is suffering from the effects of exposure, which is the worst of it. To be perfectly honest," he paused, studying her expression, "he wouldn't have survived another night out there if you hadn't found him."

Bella's eyes were wide as she listened to Edward's doctor. She still hadn't had time to process any of this, especially the part where she seemed to know exactly where he was in the first place. Standing there, she discovered that she didn't care. He was alive; he was with her.

The doctor replaced Edward's chart and left, leaving Bella standing alone in the hallway. She opened the door and tiptoed back into the room. Edward's eyes were still closed. Bella pulled a chair as close as she could to his right side and leaned her upper body over the bed, resting her face next to his hand, facing him. She lay there for a long time without interruption, after a while she closed her eyes. She felt his hand move then, gently moving her hair out of her face. A small swallow, a hoarse whisper -

"Hi, love."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking the chocolate off someone.

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Eight

They let Edward out after a little more than a week. It was Thursday morning, the day before his photography exhibit opened; he'd forgotten all about it until the curator called to check on him. Bella had driven them home; one of the police officers had been kind enough to follow the ambulance in Edward's car out of the woods. Edward had tried to insist on carrying Bella's backpack into the house, but she refused, hopping up their stoop faster. "You're very funny," he said dryly. Bella unlocked the front door and tossed her bag inside before Edward was halfway up the stairs. She trotted back down the few steps to meet him. He maneuvered his crutches slowly while she stayed by his side, unable to really help him walk.

Once inside, they both looked up the stairs silently, they looked quite foreboding. "So I was thinking, we haven't had much success with the whole camping in the woods thing," Bella paused to look at Edward. He looked at the stairs forlornly, mildly frustrated with himself. "So, what if we took camping by degrees instead?"

He looked at her with raised eyebrows, "what's by degrees?"

She smiled, trying to be delicate, "well, let's just say we start slowly. Like for now what if we set up in here," she gestured toward the living room. He bit his lip, understanding what she was getting at. "Will you say yes if I promise to have sex with you by the fireplace?" Bella smile brightly at him.

He smiled her favorite crooked grin and moved closer, "that's entrapment, you know."

"Did it work?"

"Definitely."

"I wish you'd let me help you," Edward sat on the couch, arms crossed, pouting. Bella had put him in time-out after the third time she caught him trying to climb up the stairs to help her move their necessities to the first floor.

"Nope, you stay there, you're supposed to be resting. You'll need your energy," she grinned at him, eyes bright, "you know, for later."

She finished moving their sundries into the first floor bathroom, which thankfully, had a shower and then skipped into the kitchen. "Whatcha doing?" Edward asked from the couch, twisting around so he could see her.

"Making dinner, stay there." Edward turned around, facing the fireplace, his imagination wandering. He looked at the small open space on the floor where Bella had set up their "campsite". She'd taken both their sleeping bags and opened them all the way, so they'd lay flat on the floor. On top of that she spread a dark blue bedspread, extra padding she'd said, and folded over that was the bedspread from their bedroom, it was a green that Bella said reminded her of Edward's eyes. He listened to the rain outside for a few minutes, waiting for her; it sounded like she was on the phone.

Finally, she came over to him. "Dinner will be ready soon," she smiled, seeming very satisfied with herself. She sat down next to him, letting him pull her into his lap. They sat that way for a while, happy to be together. The doorbell rang, "I'll get it," Bella sang. She hopped off the couch and went to the entryway, a little ways out of Edward's sight. He could hear her talk for a moment with whoever it was and then shut the door. "Edward, guess what," she called from the entryway.

"What is it, love?"

"I went hunting!"

Edward chuckled to himself, "did you catch anything," he asked, playing along. He leaned back, trying to see her.

"Yep, I'm pretty good." She came into view holding something behind the wall next to her.

"What'd you catch?"

"Pizza!" She pulled the large box out so he could see. The smell wafted over and he realized how hungry he was for something other than hospital food.

"Good job Bella," Edward smiled and reached for her. She came over and set the box down on his lap, then she went into the kitchen, coming back with napkins and drinks. "You know, this is better than my kind of camping." She helped him onto the blankets she'd set up, then handed him a drink and a few napkins. Next, she plopped herself down with the pizza box and opened it, handing him a slice.

"Your kind of camping had it's good points," she smiled crookedly at him and he winked at her, which momentarily made her forget all about eating.

They finished most of the pizza; Bella took the trash into the kitchen and came back to find Edward laying on his back, eyes closed. "Fire?" She asked. He nodded and kept his eyes shut. She put a few logs in, turned on the gas, and lit a match. She watched for a moment as the fire roared to life. When she could feel the heat warm her hands she turned to face Edward, who was staring at her.

"I love you, Bella," he said seriously.

She lay down next to him on her back, closest to the fire, "I love you."

Edward had no memory of anything that had happened between the time he was in the park and when he woke up in the hospital. Mostly, he was in awe of Bella. How she managed to find him, maybe neither of them would ever know. He turned over, placing an arm on either side of her, his face over hers. "Thank you…for everything," he brushed the hair back from her face. Slowly, he covered her lips with his own, staying there for a moment before deepening the kiss. He felt her respond, wrapping her arms around his middle, her heartbeat quickening. She traced Edward's bottom lip with her tongue, eliciting a small sound of pleasure from him. Bella tried to pull him closer, but he didn't want to put too much weight on her. _Typical, _she smiled to herself, contented to kissing him for all she was worth.

As their kisses deepened, Bella began breathing harder. When Edward pulled her bottom lip lightly between his teeth, she moaned. He pulled her t-shirt over her head quickly, after which she helped him with his. He knew she hadn't worn a bra, having taken it off sometime during her up and down the stairs marathon, but it was still a surprise to see so much of her skin. He ached to feel all of it at once, but instead he moved slowly, touching and tasting as much of her as he could. He slowed over her chest, putting his mouth to her heartbeat, kissing her there. She ran her hands through his hair. He moved lower and bit the waistband of her pajama pants, moving them down a fraction. He licked the sensitive skin of her hip, kissing downward. With agonizing slowness, he inched down her pants, bringing her underwear with them. Once they were off, he came back up her body, fingers grazing everywhere. Bella pulled him into a kiss, rolling on top of him. When she pulled back, sitting over him, she watched his gaze rake over her; he made a hungry sound and bit his lip softly, his eyes dark.

She had less patience than Edward, immediately she went to work on his pants, careful around his cast. Before she could settle herself back over him, he pulled her face to his, kissing her gently. He let her go and she positioned herself over him, sliding down slowly. His breath became shallow and his eyes heavy lidded as he watched her. His hands smoothed over her sides and up and down her thighs as she moved. When he couldn't wait any longer, he moved so they were both sitting up and she could wrap her legs around his back. They moved together, one of his arms wrapped around her while the other kept hold of the floor. Both of Bella's arms wrapped around him, one holding the back of his head, tangled in his hair.

When they let go, Edward pressed his face into Bella's neck, feeling his moans muffled by her skin. She moaned in his ear, which made everything even better. She kissed his neck below his ear and moved her head back to look at him. His eyes were half closed and he had her favorite lop-sided smile on his face. He kissed her and then lay back, bringing her with him, letting her get situated on top of him. She moved her legs between his and lay her head on his chest, listening to his heart. "Stay here, ok?" He asked softly. She nodded and waited for his breathing to slow, become steady, before letting herself drift into sleep.

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Author's Note: I have one more chapter and an epilogue to go, or I'm going to combine the two, I haven't decided yet. I really hope you've liked it so far.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, sorry to take this chapter down, but this story is getting a total overhaul before I start posting the sequel. I'll put the fixed version of it up as soon as I can. Thanks for reading and for your patience.


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